Lafayette-Bucknell game day report

One Lafayette coach told me that so many freshmen players are being worked into the Leopards' game plan these days that it almost feels like spring football. But make no mistake, everyone in white today knows what's at stake. If they are going to play mean-something football in November, they have to take care of business in the second last day of October.

I'd like to have a lot more to say, but at this point, the day speaks for itself. If the Leopards are not able to defeat the 1-6 Bison troday, it's going to feel a lot more like winter than fall -- or spring, if you will -- immediately.. So, we'll let the players tell the story.

For the first time this season Lafayette has no special teams captain. That should tell you something about the performances in that phase of the game recently.

Bucknell won the toss and deferred. Lafayette will receive.

FIRST QUARTER

LAFAYETTE at 21. On second down, O'Neil flares to Mputu in the right flat, and he goes untouched for a 75-yard touchdown. LAFAYETTE 7-0. It is the Leopards' first first-possession TD of the season.

BUCKNELL at 46. Big behind-the-line defensive plays by Nardone and Butler lead to a three-and-out.

LAFAYETTE AT 23. An 18-yard pass to Layton; but the drive fizzles and Kondash gets off a 41-yard punt to the 11.

BUCKNELL at 11. On second down, Schmidlein gets a sack -- and a safety. It's the first safety of the year for the talented senior. LAFAYETTE 9-0.

LAFAYETTE at B47 after a Bison free kick. After a 14-yard pass to Layton, four straight incomplete passes add up to a wasted chance.

BUCKNELL at 31. Twelve plays, the last a fumble by Wesley into the end zone for a touchback -- Lafayette dodges a bullet. It was a freshman play by a kid trying to do too much.

LAFAYETTE at 20. Mputu fumbles on first down, Bucknell recovers.

BUCKNELL at 26. Quarter ends after one play.

SECOND QUARTER

BUCKNELL at L22. On first play, Tyler Smith fumbles and Simmons recoverrs for Lafayette.

LAFAYETTE at 17. Mputu gets a 30-yard run as Leopards drive to Bucknell 25. On third down at 17, O'Neil fumbles and Bucknell recovers at 17.

BUCKNELL at 17. On third-and-4, Wesley eludes sack attempts by Grimaldi and Schmidlein and finds wide open Victor Walker, who outruns the Leopards down the sideline for a 79-yard TD. LAFAYETTE 9-7. This is the kind of play coach Tavani talked about earlier in the week.

LAFAYETTE at 40. Quilling at QB for O'Neil. O'Neil does not appear hurt. Three-and-out.

BUCKNELL at 9. Three-and-out.

LAFAYETTE at B-48. After one first down, Quilling finds Hayes wide open down the middle for a 35-yard TD. For some reason the Leopards are able to get this play open a lot. LAFAYETTE 16-7.

BUCKNELL at 37. Three-and-out includes a sack by Lafayette's Butler.

LAFAYETTE at 37. Three-and-out.

BUCKNELL AT 36. A sack by Eaton, followed by a pass interception by Brandon Ellis. Nice play!

LAFAYETTE at B43. Four straight attempts to hit Hayes are overthrown. I'm wondering why all the eggs were in one basket.

BUCKNELL AT 43. A knee as the half ends.

LAFAYETTE 16-7.

A weird half all around. Mputu has 55 yards rushing for the Leopards, but also a fumble. O'Neil is 5-for-11 passing with a 75-yard TD, but also has a fumble. Quilling has a TD pass but is just 4-for-10. The defense has sacked Brandon Wesley four times, but when he did escape he turned the play into a 79-yard touchdown pass. Schmidlein has a sack and a safety but did allow Wesley to escap on that one big Bison play.

The best to be said for the Leopards ... the lead.

The bad news: Pat Mputu and Deoliver Davis are done for the day with injuries. Ankle and toe, respectively.

THIRD QUARTER

BUCKNELL at 25. A 23-yard pass to Walker and a 23-yard run by Tyler Smith help Bison to first down on Leopard 9. Drive fizzles, and a 26-yard field goal is no good.

LAFAYETTE at 20. A beautiful drive with pass completions to Hayes, Elder and finally, Mitchell Bennett on a 30-yard TD. LAFAYETTE 23-7.

Bucknell's Owoyele is hit by Hayes and fumbles on the kickoff. Kollie recovers at the Bison 33.

LAFAYETTE at B33. On third down, O'Neil finds Hayes open down the sideline for a 31-yard TD. Hayes is shaken up but walks off. LAFAYETTE 30-7. Breathing room.

BUCKNELL at 22. Three-and-out. But the punt if muffed by Leopards Stripe and recovered by Bison at the Lafayette 33. On first down, Wesley throws a lateral to Tyler Smith, who passes to Walker for an easy TD. Leopards bit on the first pass. LAFAYETTE 30-14.

LAFAYETTE at 36. 11-yard pass to Hall; 15-yard run by Elder, but the drive fizzles and Rodriguez, with plernty of leg from 40 yards, misses wide right. Could have been a wind thing.

BUCKNELL at 20. A 15-yard sack by Nardone ends the third period. LAFAYETTE 30-14.

FOURH QUARTER

BUCKNELL at 11, fourth down. Punt to 50.

LAFAYETTE at 50. Elder hard runs; Irving in, too. A sack at the 12 is a hurter. Quilling passes to Elder for apparent TD, but holding penalty wipes it out. Rodriguez hits a 25-yard field goal. LAFAYETTE 33-14.

BUCKNELL at 43 after a short kickoff. Wesley escapes two near sacks and completes passes of 16 and 35 yards. On second down at the 1, a good call is a pitch to Tyler Smith for the TD. Wesley runs for 2-point conversion. LAFAYETTE 33-22.

LAFAYETTE at 32 after no onsides kick. One first down, then an eventual punt.

BUCKNELL at 16. Phillis get a sack. Two incomplete passes and a Wesley scramble that comes up short ends the day for Bucknell.